


Sleep to Dream

by inabodycastofglass



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Party, Teenagers, Vampire Hazel, Vampire Nico
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-19
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-08-23 08:10:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8320444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inabodycastofglass/pseuds/inabodycastofglass
Summary: Nico just wanted to spend an evening around other kids. They weren't even supposed to see him.On indefinite hiatus.Update: I might be shutting down my account.





	1. Party

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hoping to keep this one fairly contained and finish it in the next couple weeks. Since it plays out kind of like a fairy tale, it already has a set story, so I'm hoping it won't wind up too long or get too caught up in saying something.  
> Then again I say that almost every time I start a new story...

He shouldn’t be here.

But he was.

But he shouldn’t be.

People moved around Nico seamlessly, hardly noticing he was there. Everyone’s costumes were so entertaining, and watching them interact up close gave him a thrill in the pit of his stomach.

It was terrifying.

If his father knew he was here… He shivered at the thought.

He moved around the house, drinking up the energy of it. Everyone was so excited and talkative. It had Nico buzzing.

Soon he had to find some place secluded to rest before he became overwhelmed.

He sat curled up in the corner of a room, his eyes closed, taking deep breaths. He could still hear the commotion outside, but it was muffled. It was manageable.

Someone opened the door, and he was overwhelmed for a moment by the energy that burst in, but also something stronger.

He jumped to his feet when he saw the person; bright, blonde, beautiful. Exactly who Nico should be avoiding.

He held his breath, drawing the shadows over himself slowly, waiting for the boy to leave. Then he could leave. He had to leave.

Then the boy looked at him, catching his eyes, stopping his breath. He smiled. “Sorry. I thought this room was empty.”

“It’s fine, I was just leaving.” He pulled more shadows over himself, moving slowly to the door, waiting for the boy to look away.

“You don’t have to. I just needed to get away from the crowd for a few minutes.” He ran his hand through his hair and gave him a toothy smile, and it made Nico’s heart skip.

He should have left, gone home to safety, forgotten about this boy, his blue eyes outlined in gold, freckles glowing, teeth sparkling. But he didn’t. He sat back down on the bed, his shadows still up, and watching him sit down, too.

“I’m Will.”

“Nico.”

“Nico.”

His name from Will’s mouth sounded fluttery.

“I like your costume.”

He pressed his lips to his knees, hiding his smile. His cheap vampire costume had been picked out to help him blend in, and because he thought it would be funny. “Thanks. What are you?”

He grinned, obviously proud of himself. “The sun.”

Oh the irony.

“So what brings you here? I don’t recognise you from school.”

Nico bit his lip. “My cousin invited me. I go somewhere else.”

“Oh yeah?” Will leant back on his arms. “Where?”

Nico looked up from Will’s midriff to his face, and he knew he’d been caught with the way Will’s brows raised. He blushed. “A military school in Maine.”

“What are you doing in New York?”

“Visiting.”

“Of course. Your cousin.” He reached over and touched the hair at Nico’s neck. “Isn’t your hair a bit long for military school?”

Nico felt warm. He could hear Will’s pulse rush, feel it in his skin. Every beat made Nico’s eyes flutter. It was deafening.

He cleared his throat. “As long as it doesn’t get into my eyes, it’s fine.”

“Huh. I didn’t know that.” He put his hand back down. “Military schools must be more lax than when my mum was a kid.”

Nico hummed, his neck and chest hot. “It’s our new principal. She’s pretty cool.”

“Nice.”

The two spoke for a little while about nothing. Favourite books, favourite songs, favourite subjects, foods, weather, colour, animal. Some questions didn’t didn’t have the answer to.

His shadows fell away as he stopped concentrating on them. It was easy with Will, in their fake privacy, to forget that his place was dangerous for him. There was something comforting about Will that he didn’t experience elsewhere.

Somehow the two moved closer to each other, maybe naturally, maybe on purpose. Their arms and fingers touched, and Will looked down at him with a softness he wasn’t used to. It made breathing difficult.

Will moved just slightly toward him, and Nico lifted himself up, meeting him, pulling him down.

His back touched the bed, and Will continued kissing him, Nico feeling hot, his hands shaking as they gripped Will’s shirt, holding onto him desperately, pulling him closer.

Will’s heart pounded against his chest, faster than Nico’s, making his jaw hurt.

“Nico!”

Will pulled back, his breathing heavy. He wiped at his mouth with his thumb.

Nico took a moment longer to respond, his head fuzzy. He sat up and saw Hazel standing in the doorway, jilting him back to his senses. “What are you doing here?”

She stared at Will with wide eyes, mouth open. “Father…” She cleared her throat, turning to Nico. “Father know’s you’re gone.”

Nico’s stomach dropped, and he stumbled to his feet, tearing his cape off, throwing it on the bed.

“Woah. Nico, wait.” Will grabbed his wrist. “What’s going on?”

He stalled as he looked back to Will. Their hearts were still in sync.

“Nico, we have to go. Now.” Hazel grabbed his other wrist.

“I’m sorry, Will.”

Nico pulled him forward, kissing him again.

Then he pulled the shadows over himself, and followed Hazel out.

Will didn’t call after him. He didn’t even remember him.


	2. Hades

Nico’s father met him outside his home, his back straight, jaw tense. His usually passive eyes were glaring down at him.

“Care to explain?”

He wanted to disappear, go to his room and hide there, but his father would follow him, and it would only make him angrier. “I just wanted to spend some time with other people, see what it’s like.”

“Nico, it’s dangerous out there. You know this.”

“But it was just for a few hours.”

“That doesn’t matter!”

Nico flinched, and Hades sighed, his shoulders slouching.

“You are so much like your mother, and it frightens me.”

Nico bit the inside of his cheek. “I’m sorry.”

“No. It’s not something you need to apologise for. I just wish you would have more self-preservation.”

“I know.”

Hades put his hand on Nico’s head, then pulled away just as fast. “Go to bed. It’s late.”

He was gone in a flawless way that Nico could never mimic. Just gone, like he was never there in the first place.

Nico looked back out at the long expanse of land that had kept them isolated from other people. The rest ofthe world, massive and colourful and bright, was out there, and he was here. And he probably always would be.

He went back inside.


	3. Again

A year had never felt so long to Nico. After the first hundred, it all just sort of blurs together. But, for the first time it dragged out, day after day. When he looked back, it was just a year, but while it was happening, it felt like an eternity.

He waited until his father was out, then traveled to the house the party was at the previous year.

He didn’t take any chances this time. He kept his shadows up, moving slowly.

All around him people were moving and laughing, and did people ever sit still? Were they ever silent? Did they ever just take a moment to feel the world around them?

He saw Will with a group of people, laughing, bubbly, bright.

Nico decided to stay hidden, to just take a few minutes to watch him. There was no point in going over to him, Will didn’t even remember him.

He would just take a few minutes. Just a few minutes. Then he would go home, and that would be it. He wouldn’t come back next year. This would be his goodbye. His closure.

Will got up and waved to his friends and left the room, and Nico panicked. He wasn’t ready yet.

He followed Will upstairs, stalling when he watched Will go into the room they’d occupied the previous year.

Will couldn’t remember him. It wasn’t possible.

It was more likely that this was just a place he found himself going to the same way he did last year, for privacy. It had nothing to do with Nico.

His chest hurt.

He needed to be sure, though.

He opened the door, looking for Will, and finding him lying on the bed.

Good. He should leave now.

But he didn’t.

“I’m sorry. This room’s off limits.” Will slowly pushed himself up.

“Sorry.”

“No, wait.”

Nico froze, his heart pounding. He looked up at Will.

He watched Nico with a scrunched up expression, looking him up and down, examining his face.

This was a mistake. Nico needed to leave.

“Have we met before?”

“I…”

“Are you in Mr. Donovan’s pottery class?”

It would be easier to take the out, but he couldn’t give Will any reason to look for him. It would just make him more likely to remember him.

“No.”

“Oh.”

Will leant back. But, instead of being charming and flirty like he was last year, he just seemed exhausted.

“I’ll leave you alone.”

“No, stay.” He moved over so there was space on the bed for Nico. He knew he should leave. His father would realise he was gone soon.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at where the floor connected to the wall.

“So where do I know you from?”

Nico shrugged. “People say that to me a lot, but I don’t really know any of them” He shrugged. “I think people just see a goth kid and assume it was the kid who sat in the back of their class.”

Will didn’t look convinced, but he nodded.

“So, if you don’t go to my school, what are you doing here?”

Nico smiled. “My cousin invited me.”

“Your cousin?”

Will chewed on his lip, making Nico’s heart beat hard.

“Yeah.”

Nico looked around at all the stuff in the room. Aside from the books, most of it consisted of Nicknacks. “I wonder who’s room this is.”

“Mine.”

“Yours?” This was Will’s house?

“Yeah. My brother throws a party every year, so I have to help out.

“I see.”

He needed to leave. His ears were ringing.

Will touched his arms, making him jump. “Are you okay? You look super pale.”

“That’s just how I look.”

Will put the underside of his wrist on Nico’s forehead. “Are you sure? You’re freezing.”

Nico grabbed at the neck of his sweater. “I’m always cold.”

Will pursed his lips, and Nico couldn’t help but wonder if he was really the same boy as a year ago, and what had happened since then to change him so much.

It was frightening how easily people changed. Nico was the same as he was a year ago, and he’d be the same next year.

The silence over the next thirty seconds was maddening.

“So, how long are you going to be in town?”

“We’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Back to Maine?”

“Yeah.”

He felt like his throat was closing up when he looked at Will, locking eyes with him.

Shit.

“I knew I’d see you before. Why did you lie to me?”

“I…”

“You just ran off and I never saw you again. What happened?”

Nico pulled back. “I had to go. I wasn’t supposed to be here. I’m not supposed to be here right now.”

Will took his wrist. “I thought you were a dream. I could barely remember you.”

“I have-”

“What’s going on, Nico? Who are you, really?”

Nico wanted to run, to pull the shadows over him and disappear forever, but Will still had his wrist, and there was something alarming about the way his pulse raced.

Will’s pulse was also going crazy. Nico could feel it like fire where they touched.

“Will.”

His heart skipped, making Nico suck in a sharp breath.

Nico swallowed, regulating his breath. “You wouldn’t believe me.”

“Try me.”

This wasn’t a good idea. He shouldn’t have come. He knew, deep down, that something like this would happen. He’d wanted it, for someone to remember him.

But now he just wanted to leave.

“I’m not human.”

“Not human?”

Will didn’t believe him. Nico hadn’t expected him to.

“Okay, fine. Then what are you?”

Nico ran his tongue over his teen. “I’m, um.” His voice gave out on him. “Vampire.”

Will stared at him, his lips pulled to the side. “Did you just say vampire?”

He nodded slowly.

Will looked around. “Is this a joke? Have you read too many young adult books?”

“Have I what?”

“When you say ‘vampire’, do you mean, like, culturally?”

“What does that mean?”

“You know. Like.” He waved his free hand around randomly. “Or do you mean, like, Edward Cullen or Lestat vampire?”

“I have never heard of either of those people.”

Will sighed, running a hand down his face, but he still held Nico’s wrist in his other. “Okay, so, if you’re really a vampire, I want you to prove it.”

Nico suddenly felt like he was drowning. “No.”

Will stared at him, looking almost bored. “Why not?”

“It’s- I-” His heart pounded. “I can’t.”

“Why? Is there some sort of vampire counsel that will punish you for revealing yourself to a human?”

Only his father.

“Will, if I show you, you can get hurt.”

“What, like, If you start drinking my blood, you won’t be able to stop or something like that?”

“Or something like that.”

Will rolled his eyes. “Uh huh.”

“It’s just dangerous, okay?”

“Or, more likely, you’re lying to me.”

Nico growled. “Why are you being so stubborn?”

“I was born this way.”

Nico flopped back onto the bed, glaring at the ceiling. “Why is this so important to you?”

“Because you kissed me and ran away last year, and then you showed up here, in my room, and pretended you don’t even know me, and now you’re saying you’re a vampire.”

Nico sat up, looking to Will. “I know, and I’m sorry I hurt you. But I’m not supposed to be here. I had to sneak out.”

“Your dad that strict?”

“He just worries about me.”

“Still, it’s kind of messed up.”

Nico hummed.

“So, let’s say that I believe that you’re really a vampire. I don’t, but let’s just pretend for a moment. How old are you?”

Nico shrugged. “Three-hundred and something?”

Three-hundred and something?”

“You stop counting after a while.”

“But you look fifteen.”

“Yeah?”

Will shook his head. “Nevermind. So how’d you get in here? Doesn’t someone have to invite you in?”

“That’s just a rule people made up to make themselves feel better.”

“Well that’s unnerving. So why can’t you show me proof?”

“Because the only way to do that would be to bite you.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Will touched his neck, staring ahead. “All right. I have just one more question, and I want you to answer me honestly, okay?”

Nico nodded slowly. One more question and they would be done. Forever.

“Do you want to kiss me?”

Nico almost choked on Nothing. “What?”

“You promised not to lie to me.”

Nico held his gaze, feeling overpowered and drawn in. He wondered if it was Will or himself that did it. He swallowed, opening his mouth, saying nothing. He licked his lips.

Will’s hand burned him again, flaring with every rapid heartbeat.

“Yes.”

Will kissed him again, and he couldn’t breathe. His hand that had been around Nico’s wrist curled lightly around his waist, barely touching him.

Nico could feel every beat of Will’s heart through his lips, and it almost hurt.

Will pulled back, his eyes dazed as he looking into Nico’s. “Don’t make me wait another year to see you again.”

Nico nodded without really understanding what he was agreeing to.

“When?”

Nico smiled, biting his lower lip. “Next week. I’ll find a way here.”

“Good. I’ll have more questions for you then.”

Nico laughed, his voice hoarse. “All right.” He looked down. “I have to go.”

“You promise you’re coming back?”

Nico nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

“Good.” Will kissed him again and let him go.

Nico covered himself with shadows and tried not to let Will’s confused expression get to him. He’d remembered Nico this time, maybe he would again.


	4. To See You Again

It took nine days for Nico to find an opportunity to leave his home. He was sure his dad suspected that he’d snuck out again, so he was keeping a personal eye on Nico. It was exhausting, really. And not just because he was spending every moment trying to get away. His father was both doting and demanding at once. Nico was constantly on edge.

He began looking for an out to get away from him, as much as to see Will.

He spent a lot of time wondering if Will would remember him. Maybe this time he could leave without using the shadows. He wondered if that would change things. It would be nice to have someone to talk to aside from Hazel, and a once-every-few-years visit from one of his friends.

It was only when his father finally took Hazel out to eat that he had the chance. And even then it was after midnight. Will might be asleep. People usually slept at night.

He went to Will’s window, seeing a light on behind the curtain. His heart skipped. He climbed up the tree in the yard, walking to the edge of the branch that rested close to the window.

He knocked quietly.

The music stopped, and he waited, holding his breath. Then it started again, and he felt like he would fall out of the tree. Hesitantly he knocked again.

He heard footsteps approaching, and his instincts took over. He covered himself in shadows ad his in the darkness at the base of the tree.

Will opened the window and looked around, his eyes passing right over Nico. With a huff he closed it again.

Nico swore to himself. He should have anticipated that. He took a deep breath and climbed the tree again.

He steadied himself as Will walked toward him again, his footsteps quick. When his curtain was thrown back, he had a bat in his hand and an expression that didn’t quite hide how frightened he was.

It turned into confusion as Nico slowly forced the shadows away. His mouth opened and his eyes widened, and Nico could see the exact moment Will recognised him. It was in the way his eyes flicked from Nico’s eyes to his mouth.

He opened the window and pulled Nico inside, throwing him onto the floor, ad locking the window. He rushed to the door and shoved a chair under the knob.

“Nico?”

He sat up, grabbing his ankles just to have something to do with his hands. “Yes?”

Will sat on his desk chair, leaning forward on his thighs. “You said you would come within a week.”

His mouth felt dry. “I couldn’t get away.”

“I thought I’d dreamt you again.”

Nico looked to the floor. “Yeah. That’s normal.”

“But you came back this time.”

He bit his lip a little too hard, piercing it. He flinched. “I promised.”

Will took a deep breath and sat down on the floor next to him, leaning back against the wall. “So do you drink human blood?”

Nico kept his eyes on him. “Yes.”

He could hear Will’s pulse pick up. “Do you kill them?”

“My father makes sure I don’t.”

“Because it’s wrong?”

He pulled his legs into his chest, hugging them. He knew the right answer was “yes”, but he thought it was better to to get this stuff out on the table right off the bat, so if Will decided he didn’t want to be around Nico, it would hurt less than after they’d spent time together and grew attached.

And he wanted Will to know, to see him. He was ready to bare his neck to someone.

“No. It’s because it scares them, and then they hunt us. It’s self preservation.”

Will’s entire body tensed, and Nico waited. He waited for him to get angry, to become disgusted by Nico’s separation from his morality.

But he didn’t. With the same tenseness, he continued asking Nico questions. Can he turn into a bat? No. Can he fly? No. Does sunlight kill him? Yes. Can he eat garlic? He’s Italian. Does he have to count things? No, that was one vampire with OCD and people just decided it applied to all vampires.

The night consisted of question after question, and Will didn’t shy away from anything. Nico wanted to snap at him for the blunt way he spoke, but he was relieved to have someone speak so openly to him for the first time. Even Hazel often skirted around issues.

It was only the beginning, the very first stage, but it felt like someone was seeing Nico for the first time. And even while he chalked it up to romantic ideals, he embraced it. It was nice, even if it wasn’t real.

Will fell asleep with his head on Nico’s lap. And Nico marveled at the level of trust that existed in that action. Will may not have believed that he was a vampire, but he was still a stranger, one that could have been delusional.

Nico played with his hair, brushing his fingers through it carefully. He was transfixed, and lost track of time. Will was so warm, he almost burned Nico. But he stayed, determined to soak up every moment. He didn’t know how many he would have.

He felt the familiar panic in the knot at his spine, between his shoulder blades, that drew him into the shadows and back home. The sun was about to rise.

As carefully as he could, he lifted Will up and placed him on his bed.

Stealing one last touch, running his fingers down Will’s jaw, he turned his light off and disappeared.


	5. Lou Ellen

Nico came by two more times that week, then as often as he could. His father began to back off as Nico worked around his personal schedule. Nico didn’t know what he did at night, but he was almost always either asleep or doing some sort of work.

When Nico was with Will it was like the world around them flew by. They spent all of their time talking and kissing until Will fell asleep and Nico just laid there watching him. He couldn’t stop thinking about how short Will’s life was. Every night mattered to him in a way it didn’t for Nico because he only had so many. Will’s entire life would pass by before Nico reached adulthood.

He chose to spend the precious moments with Nico. And Nico wanted to give him everything for that gift.

He stopped by one evening, same as normal, and heard voices inside. The curtain was closed without a way for Will to peak out, and Nico wondered if that was a sign he should leave.

Nico wasn’t sure if he should listen, but he could clearly hear the conversation.

“I want to go to sleep.”

“Just stay up another half hour.”

The girl whined. “Your imaginary boyfriend is not going to show up. It’s almost midnight.”

“He will show.”

“Will, I’m tired. I got four hours of sleep last night. I want to go to bed. If you don’t let me, I’m going to go home.”

Nico took a breath and knocked on the window. He wasn’t ready to meet anyone new, especially any people. But Will needed him to, and Nico had already decided.

“That’s him.”

Nico’s heart beat in sync with the three steps Will took to the window. As the sound of the curtains being pulled back screamed in his ears, he pulled the shadows over himself.

The girl walked up behind Will, looking over his shoulder. “There’s no one there.” There was a tremble to her voice that made Nico feel a little guilty. He knew how easily people spooked.

“He’s here. Hold on.” Will shut the curtain.

Nico forced the shadows back biting his cheek. He reached out and knocked again.

Will opened the curtain slowly, which helped. He grinned when he saw Nico and looked to the girl. “See?”

When he opened the window a wave of nausea hit Nico like a punch to the chest.

“Lou Ellen said you weren’t real. This is the third weekend in a row she’s spent here waiting for you to come over.”

Nico’s mouth hurt. It felt like his skull was on fire, lit at his teeth. He grit them to fight it off, climbing inside slowly. His vision was growing dark.

A warning from his father was at the tip of his memory.

Lou Ellen stared at him in complete horror, but he could hardly focus on her. His body was tense and it was getting hard to breath.

“Monster!”

He felt like he’d run into a wall, then he blacked out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have some very important info about the future of my stories here:  
> https://infpinions.wordpress.com/2016/11/19/on-my-fanfiction/


	6. Mistake

“Nico!”

He could barely hear Will’s voice. He wanted to run to him, but he couldn’t move.

“Nico, get off of her!”

He felt yanking on his arm and instinctively wrapped his body around his possession tighter.

He realised, slowly, that he was biting a girl. The girl. Lou Ellen. Will’s friend. He had to pull away. He had to. Where was his father?

At home, with no idea he was here.

“Nico! You’re going to kill her!”

Will yanked on his hair, and, for some reason, it helped him let go of Lou Ellen.

He dropped to the floor, his vision already clearing up.

Lou Ellen slid down the wall to the floor, almost white, her heartbeat pounding to replace the blood she’d lost. Will was beside her, shaking her, pale as well with panic.

“She’s dying. I have to call an ambulance.” He ran to his phone.

“It’s too late. She’s lost too much blood. A hospital can’t do anything.”

“Then what? I just let her die?” Will gripped his phone so tight his hand turned white.

“My father.” His stomach dropped. “He can fix this.”

“What can he do?”

“He’s an Elder vampire. One of the original children of Ambrogio.” His voice shook, breaking on the name. “He’s more powerful than we are.” He looked to Will. “He’s her only chance.”

Will looked to Lou Ellen, then back to Nico. “Go get him.”

Nico traveled home.”

“Father! Father, help!”

He appeared before Nico, a little bit of panic showing through his naturally stoic face. “What is it?”

“A girl is dying. It- it was an accident.” He was close to tears. He didn’t know if he was more scared of Lou Ellen dying, or his father’s rage.”

“Show me.”

Nico led his father to Will’s room.

Will jumped when they arrived, stumbling and jostling Lou Ellen.

His father looked to Will, making him avert his eyes. “Is this the boy you’ve been sneaking off to see?”

Nico choked. “You knew?”

“I did.”

“I can explain.”

“No time. Is this the girl.” He looked to Lou Ellen. Nico didn’t notice how his body tensed at the sight of her.

“Yes. I don’t know what happened. My head hurt and I couldn’t-”

“Nico.” His father barely whispered his name, but it silenced him. “What have you done?”

“What?” Will moved beside his father. “What’s wrong?”

His father ignored him, turning to Nico. “You’ve bit a witch.”

Nico’s knees gave out and he fell. His ears were ringing.

“What does that mean? Nico?” Will stood up and turned to him, glaring. “What does that mean?”

“It means-” His father scooped Lou Ellen up. “That we must bring her to her matriarch. And you, boy,” he turned to face Will, “are coming with us.”

His father engulfed the four of them in his shadows, and Nico could feel their chill in his bones.


End file.
